$250 MILLION: Powerball lottery jackpot ramps up

Feb 5, 2012, 7:50 am (118 comments)

Powerball

By Todd Northrop

There was no jackpot winner in the Saturday night drawing of the multi-state Powerball game, causing the grand prize to increase to an estimated $250 million for Wednesday's drawing.

Saturday was the 12th consecutive drawing without a jackpot winner.

The estimated cash value for the new jackpot is $156 Million.  After-tax cash and annuity prize amounts are reported state-by-state at USA Mega, a web site devoted to the Powerball and Mega Millions multi-state lottery games.

Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs.

Even though there were no jackpot winners, 5 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 1 from Colorado, 1 from Florida, 1 from New York, and 1 from North Carolina.

Two of the second-prize tickets — from Colorado and Florida — were purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1, and their prizes were increased to $2 million each. 

This is the first drawing in which a player won second prize with the Power Play since the Powerball prize structure changed on Jan. 18.

50 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $10,000.  Of those tickets, 7 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $40,000.

The Powerball winning numbers for Saturday, February 4, were 15, 23, 43, 45, and 56, with Powerball number 7.

When a Powerball ticket is purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket, any non-jackpot prize is increased according to a fixed prize schedule, which can be found on the Powerball Drawing Detail page at USA Mega, as well as on the Powerball Prize Payouts page at Lottery Post.

Powerball is now played in 42 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time.  Tickets cost $2 each.

Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

LottoGuyBC's avatarLottoGuyBC

1/2 way to $500M Group Hug

will it go to $1 Billion Dollars?

mcginnin56

Hmmmm..............quarter of a Billion. In my humble state of NH, taking the lump sum would translate to $117 Million, after no state taxes.

Coincidentally that's exactly the amount I calculated that would see me through my retirement, including all the toy's and taking care of a select few of my real "friends" and "family".

I believe I will continue to play........what do I have to lose??? Oh right,..... $2.   Crying

If this rolls again Wednesday...........another $70 Million???...........perhap's to $320 Million???    Eek

 

Roll on littl' doggie..........ROLL ON!!!   Crazy

TheRightPrice

Lots of money grubbing greedy people out there. Evil LookingEvil Uhh I'm not surprised that we finally now see the 2 million dollar winners.Evil UhhEvilEvil Looking I'm certain there will be more 2 million dollar winners for Wednesday with a Jackpot so high.Evil UhhEvilEvil Looking

 

Good luck to all!

 

Also , please note that there was NO $1 million dollar winners in Florida or Colorado, these persons won the $2 million dollar prize with Powerplay.

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

well color me seriously annoyed........

but my guess is inspite of slightly better odds I tink its gonna set the new record b4 they'll let someone win

money eyes

NoShame's avatarNoShame

Quote: Originally posted by hearsetrax on Feb 5, 2012

well color me seriously annoyed........

but my guess is inspite of slightly better odds I tink its gonna set the new record b4 they'll let someone win

money eyes

It will be insane but should be fun.  I'm gonna wait for the jackpot a little bit to buy my tickets just for kicks.

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

OK .............. $101,000,000 + after 35% ..................... Dance

OldSchoolPa's avatarOldSchoolPa

Quote: Originally posted by NoShame on Feb 5, 2012

It will be insane but should be fun.  I'm gonna wait for the jackpot a little bit to buy my tickets just for kicks.

Well if you don't get a play in for the next two drawings, your waiting is going to be a bit too late unless you are looking to jump in when the jackpot rolls back down to 40 million!  I will be happily looking at my winning ticket for a few weeks while I take care of prior commitments (yup, just because I am going to win the jackpot does not mean I just quit my obligations), meet with my team of lawyers and accountants, and get a medical checkup (hey, getting a physical examination is just as important as making sure you got all your financial ducks in a row...don't believe me, then just ask the family of that big Mega Millions lottery win from Michigan who died of an apparent heart attack some years ago just 3 or 4 years after hitting it big!).  Then I would call Springfield to set up a news conference, purchase a plane ticket and book a limousine to pick me up at the airport, check in at a nice hotel there, and then come in the following day for the claiming process.  I figure if I be the spoiler to win within the next two drawings, I would likely claim the prize in March (nope, I won't be waiting a long time as curiousity only intensifies with each passing month).  Now when I do win, I am torn between using a deguise of Jamaican dreadlocks and that typical touristy Caribbean knit cap or a Obama mask.  But there has been a guy going around robbing places using the latter disguise, so I think I won't do that...plus, there are people in Illinois who worship the man, so I may be asking for trouble (and liberals call conservatives bullies...look at me feeling bullied by the libs!).

But should I not be the spoiler and the jackpot continues to roll and reach astronomical record levels, I won't buy any additional tickets besides my subscription and an advanced play (I travel to places where I can't play the lottery).

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

Quote: Originally posted by dpoly1 on Feb 5, 2012

OK .............. $101,000,000 + after 35% ..................... Dance

Well DP, I can honestly believe with that kind of after tax win, I could comfortably make all close family members/friends millionaires. Then throw a big shindig for all LP contributors and ship Rdgrnrs still,  in advance for show - n - tell !!!!!

Piaceri

I am actually glad to see this roll. Texas has a free qp + pp starting today for every $10 pb purchases.  Time for a Texas PB win!White Bounce

 

And I'd like to see this one as my win, seeing as how I'm-a gonna win a jp anyway.  So many possibilities! 

 

Good luck to all my LP friends! May the winner be one of us... hopefully me, but...  Hippy

Reign22

I also believe that this jackpot is going to keep rolling (hey, they have to back up their claims for bigger jackpots or the whole marketing scheme would be a flop!)....to around $400 million (just over their all-time high of $365m) then it will hit. However, I think the best is yet to come...I anticipate a huge jackpot in excess of $500 million later this year. 

I'm not spending a dime until it nears this level!

ryanm

Yeah, I think the jackpot will keep rolling too, because the jackpot increases the same amount for half as much tickets sold, so the chances of a rollover are double for the same increase.  I do have a feeling that this year will be the year Powerball produces a record CASH jackpot, especially since they've eliminated the match 5 bonus pool feature.

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

Quote: Originally posted by Piaceri on Feb 5, 2012

I am actually glad to see this roll. Texas has a free qp + pp starting today for every $10 pb purchases.  Time for a Texas PB win!White Bounce

 

And I'd like to see this one as my win, seeing as how I'm-a gonna win a jp anyway.  So many possibilities! 

 

Good luck to all my LP friends! May the winner be one of us... hopefully me, but...  Hippy

Well Pia while I hope you do win, I am sorta leaning towards a FL winner(namely meeeeee)....Besides we just had one of the first  new 2 million dollar powerplay winners..... Thats gotta be a sign of better things to come !!!!  Big Smile

Piaceri

Thank you Dana.  It if hits Fla, I'm rooting for you.  Dance

Kumo's avatarKumo

Quote: Originally posted by OldSchoolPa on Feb 5, 2012

Well if you don't get a play in for the next two drawings, your waiting is going to be a bit too late unless you are looking to jump in when the jackpot rolls back down to 40 million!  I will be happily looking at my winning ticket for a few weeks while I take care of prior commitments (yup, just because I am going to win the jackpot does not mean I just quit my obligations), meet with my team of lawyers and accountants, and get a medical checkup (hey, getting a physical examination is just as important as making sure you got all your financial ducks in a row...don't believe me, then just ask the family of that big Mega Millions lottery win from Michigan who died of an apparent heart attack some years ago just 3 or 4 years after hitting it big!).  Then I would call Springfield to set up a news conference, purchase a plane ticket and book a limousine to pick me up at the airport, check in at a nice hotel there, and then come in the following day for the claiming process.  I figure if I be the spoiler to win within the next two drawings, I would likely claim the prize in March (nope, I won't be waiting a long time as curiousity only intensifies with each passing month).  Now when I do win, I am torn between using a deguise of Jamaican dreadlocks and that typical touristy Caribbean knit cap or a Obama mask.  But there has been a guy going around robbing places using the latter disguise, so I think I won't do that...plus, there are people in Illinois who worship the man, so I may be asking for trouble (and liberals call conservatives bullies...look at me feeling bullied by the libs!).

But should I not be the spoiler and the jackpot continues to roll and reach astronomical record levels, I won't buy any additional tickets besides my subscription and an advanced play (I travel to places where I can't play the lottery).

Hey OldSchool, have a gander at the spfxmasks. Those things are so realistic its creepy.

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